Meet me here tomorrow
by Tovarich
Summary: Alfred comes every day to the park to see the beautiful stranger he fell in love with.


Alfred passed the high wrought iron gate of the park. On each side of the entrance, a towering statue of a roaring lion stood guard. He took the gravel path that crunched beneath his feet, leading to a secluded area, passing by blooming rosebushes and fragrant peonies. Once into the park, especially in that isolated part of the gardens, it felt like he entered a different dimension, another world. Far from the tumultuous city, filled with stressful noises and people in a hurry running on the sidewalk. Those gardens were like an oasis of calm and peace, a place to rest the soul before returning to the turmoil of life. Alfred enjoyed it. Despite his rowdy exterior, he needed those quiet moments, where he could be himself, without all his acquaintances who required his attention. He needed those moments where he could retreat in his mind, let the calm and composed part of himself out.

But right now, there was no place for relaxation in his mind as is heart was pounding in his chest. He felt excited and apprehensive to the point that he thought he might burst. There were too many contradicting emotions battling within him. He couldn't walk fast enough, he wanted to run but tried to contain himself. Only one thought obsessed him, only one person could soothe him.

The man sat on the same bench as always, Alfred noticed as he passed by a tree that obstructed his view of this part of the park. He was surrounded by flower beds and trees in bloom, a book in his hand and a thermos beside him. The rustle of the fountain nearby produced a peaceful lullaby along with the humming of various insects.

With a cheerful smile spreading his lips and stars in his cerulean eyes, Alfred immediately slowed down, now walking at a calmer pace, his heart serene. He took a seat on a bench as well. The same as every day. From this spot, he could perfectly observe the man without being seen. The sight was charming; a handsome man with straw blond hair, eyes that shone like the purest emeralds focused on the written pages he held between his delicate fingers, overhung by thick, dark eyebrows. Instead of ruining the harmony of this flawless face, they accentuated the vibrant green of his eyes, creating a stunning contrast.

Alfred came to this park every day after his classes, and every day he was greeted by the presence of this same man, always on the same bench. He probably came at the same time and he was always there, whatever the weather, since the 21st of March. He honestly dreaded the last day of spring, as it could very well mean that the man would stop his daily visits. His heart clenched at the thought, but he didn't want to dwell on it. Indeed, the man was there now, unaware of the scrutinizing gaze fixed on him, all for Alfred to admire.

He let his own sapphire orbs roam over the stranger's body as he fetched his pencils and sketchbook from his backpack, trying to capture the soul behind those irises, the being under that milky white skin. Sometimes, the green-eyed man's thin lips would spread in a tiny smile, barely discernible from the distance, making Alfred's heart skip a beat and his face heat up. At other times, his brows furrowed and his freckled nose crinkled in what the blue-eyed observer assumed to be confusion. He really loved trying to catch all those emotions who fought their way to that harmonious face. Trying to immortalise them with his skilful hands on the white paper.

Alfred sat there, drawing black lines on blank canvas for hours, creating yet another portrait of the man that haunted his thoughts. Until the afternoon came to an end, the sky trading his azure coat against a flamboyant dress of pinks and oranges. He watched his muse leave this garden of Eden, only then realising his fingers were sore. He wanted to run after the retreating figure, catching it before it crossed the park's gates. But his legs refused to obey, his limbs were shaking as he kept his gaze trained on the man's back.

Despite knowing that he would very likely see the man again the next day, he couldn't help the way his eyes watered each time he left the park. He made his way home, shoulder hunched, his mind left behind on the bench he had sat on. He couldn't remember anything he did that night. Every day his infatuation worsened and to him nothing mattered anymore aside from those long afternoon spent drawing the gorgeous stranger.

* * *

A week passed, every day following the same routine. The same excitement upon seeing the man on his bench. The same pain as the man left at dusk. Every day was the same. Spent in a hazy apathy, the thick fog only dissipated by the bright light emitted by emerald eyes.

Finally, Saturday came. Alfred got up early, thrilled to be able to see the man longer than usual. A wide grin spread his lips, making his cheeks sore, but he didn't care. His heart was racing as he went through his morning routine with a lightness in his moves. He light-heartedly sang along with some cheesy love song broadcasted on the radio, his bright blue eyes sparkling with an enthusiasm nothing could damper, not even the grey, stormy clouds. Despite the gloomy weather, Alfred felt his heart overflow with happiness.

The threatening clouds agglomerated to form a murky ceiling, barely letting any light through, as the man Alfred had been waiting for came to sit among the colourful flowers. The pinks, violets and oranges of the fragile petals clashing violently against the strong darkness above them.

To Alfred, it seemed like the man's arrival had brought life to the garden, like it had relieved it from the heavy layer of dust it had been covered by. Wherever those green gems were directed, life erupted. With his arrival, bees started to fly, flowers started to bloom, the park's heart started to beat. The garden had been holding its breath, faithfully waiting for its loyal visitor to come in and reign on his vegetal kingdom.

He sat there, unknowing of the great power he held in the palm of his elegant hands. Unknowing that he could easily bring death to this idyllic earthly paradise. That he could crush Alfred's hand between his long fingers.

His slender legs were crossed as he opened his thick book, putting his red thermos bottle against his left thigh. In the white light that filtered from the bleak clouds, he looked like an angel bathing in paradise's glow. His fair hair shone in the gleam, emitting a brightness of its own, his ivory skin had a radiance to it akin to the purest opals. Every inch of this stranger was jewel-like, so pure it made pearls of salty water fall down Alfred's reddened cheeks, down to his pink lips parted in an open-mouthed smile. His heart swollen in adoration couldn't contain the tidal wave crashing through him.

But the man kept on reading, unaware of the delightful turmoil he put Alfred's soul through. Gusts of cold wind sent pale rose petals from the cherry blossoms above his head spiralling down, falling to the ground in a graceful dance. An orange and blue butterfly came to rest on the man's hand and Alfred felt ridiculous about the pang of jealousy he felt at the friendly smile the insect received. He would give anything to receive such smiles, to see this man from so close. To be able to touch his milky skin, hold this refined body tightly in his muscled arms, burry his nose in those blond locks.

His heart sighed at the thought, swelling with an unbearable love. He honestly felt stupid for harbouring such feelings for a person he didn't know anything about. He was worse than a girl in a cheesy romantic comedy. Completely hopeless. Beautifully in love. And truthfully, even if it was useless and silly, he didn't want his daydreaming to stop. He was putting himself through hell, giving his aching heart false hopes. But it hurt so good, he wanted it to last forever. He could spend his whole life coming to this park, admiring the object of his passion, the one person that had stolen his heart, his brain and his free-will lead their life, while his was left to decay. He could keep himself alive with a daily perfusion of daydreams.

The lead of his pencil absentmindedly traced intricate lines on the white sheet on his lap. A goofy smile still lighted his youthful features as he rejoiced in the sight that was offered to him on this mid-May afternoon, the atmosphere heavy with unshed raindrops.

Despite his burning desire to get up and just speak to the stranger who occupied his every thought, he couldn't get his body to move. He felt highly unworthy of such perfection. Shy was definitely not an adjective anyone would use to describe the blue-eyed college student, yet when faced with those green gems and immaculate skin, his heart never stopped stuttering as he was left breathless. Nothing could compare to that ethereal beauty.

* * *

His blue-eyed stalker had already been there when he entered the park that day, Arthur noticed with a tiny smirk and a frown of his rather impressive eyebrows. He had mixed feelings about the man's presence. Indeed, he seemed far more interested in observing Arthur than the beautiful luxuriant vegetation this place provided. Arthur didn't really mind though. To be honest, he was flattered that such a handsome young man payed attention to him. Not that he would ever say that out loud or admit it to anyone. Upon noticing the sweet looks the man laid on him, he had to fight yet another blush that threatened to take possession of his sickly pale complexion. He had to struggle to keep a straight face, to avoid meeting those deep blue eyes. He wanted to reciprocate every look this man sent him, to keep his eyes on that face that was the perfect mix between youthful and manly. How such a perfect man could deem him worthy of his time was beyond Arthur.

However, he didn't want the stranger to lose interest in him. If he dutifully came back to this same bench every day, it was partly because he wanted to see this young man again. He never wanted to lose sight of this smile, soft like a summer breeze. He wanted to tangle his finger into this honey hair, lighter than air, that got ruffled by the wind. To drown in those two endless pools of universe, filled with glimmering stars, to let that rich laughter lift him higher than the sky, up to the highest level of heaven, and never bring him back to earth.

It took every bit of his willpower to take his eyes away from the man in front of him as he sat on his bench. It was oddly comfortable for such a rudimental seat. Arthur opened his book, feeling those intense eyes on him. He had been reading the same book for weeks, reading the same paragraph over and over again, without comprehending the meaning of the printed words. None of them made sense, the sentences seemed to only be random letters following one another without purpose. He couldn't concentrate under the mesmerizing gaze fixed on him. The owner of those fragments of sky tantalisingly close, yet out of reach. Unobtainable.

Arthur brought his thermos to his lips, feeling the heat that radiated from the metallic container. His tea was probably still too hot to drink. He tried to discreetly watch the younger man behind the red bottle, observe the way his hands guided the pencil on the page of his sketchbook. He found himself intensely looking at the young man's body, his face eating up when his thoughts lead him to forbidden places. He would lie if he said that he wasn't attracted to that muscular body. Not too muscular either, only toned. His golden skin almost glistening in the feeble light that seeped from a crack in the law ceiling of dark clouds.

Arthur quickly turned his head away when he saw the younger male move his eyes towards him, praying that he didn't notice Arthur looking at him. Arthur sighed at his own stupidity. He was falling head over heels for this young Adonis who was way too beautiful and too young for him. Inside of his chest, an erratic drum made his whole body shake in an unsteady rhythm.

To soothe his boiling nerves, the green-eyed man took a deep breath of the dense, almost palpable air. The heady smell of petrichor, drawn from the entrails of the earth by the ambient humidity assaulted his nostrils, not letting a single chance to the subtle perfume of the bright flowers.

It took him some time to regain control over his breathing and for his heart to beat at a more bearable pace. But finally, he was back to normal. More or less. Enough to resume his previous observation of the gorgeous stranger. He was trying to look at him behind his book and he honestly felt proud of the control he had over himself.

A pout Arthur could only describe as cute appeared on the other's face. Cheeks comically puffed, his bottom lip covering the top one in a childish manner, a frown creating a crease in the space between his perfectly shaped eyebrows. Arthur felt his heart fill with affection upon witnessing such an endearing sight. He felt a compelling need to take this frustrated person in his arms, to gently kiss his rounded cheeks and soft lips while whispering sweet nothings in his ears. He wanted to hold him close, feeling his body warmth, stroking his silky hair. He wanted to take all his frustration away and let his sparkly smile shine once again.

And thus, Arthur spent his afternoon daydreaming, without even attempting to read a single page of his novel. When the sun hid behind the horizon, he left this oasis of peace, where the object of his dreams still sat, with the certitude that he would come back the very next day, and every following day. With a sparkle on his face and a darkness in his heart, he made his way home.

By the last day of spring, he would speak to this beautiful stranger, he made this promise to himself. It would give him two weeks to gather his courage.

* * *

It was the penultimate day of spring, Arthur thought as he woke up. Today, he would talk to that beautiful stranger. He hadn't been able to sleep at all, blue eyes and charming smiles keeping him awake. His heart had been hammering inside his chest all this time, he didn't even know anymore what it felt like to be calm.

He dressed nicely, he wanted to make a good impression after all. Once he deemed himself presentable, he reluctantly turned away from the mirror. He only hoped he wouldn't sweat too much until he got to see the young man, it would be quite unfortunate to stink after taking so much time on getting ready.

Arthur arrived at the park early that day, eager to meet the man that had captured his heart as soon as possible. There was no point in trying to do anything else of his day as he couldn't focus on any task. He had lost efficiency since the beginning of spring, it was becoming alarming, he had to get a hold of himself if he didn't want to lose his job. He sighed heavily at the thought, but it honestly didn't worry over it as much as he should. Worse than that, if he was being truthful with himself, he didn't care at all. The world could be destroyed, go up in smoke, crumble down, if he got to see the charming stranger, nothing else mattered.

Hours passed and he just sat on his bench, watching out for that angel in disguise to show up. Yes, Arthur was positive that the young man wasn't human. He couldn't be. He was simply too perfect, every single thing about him was divine. The hours passed and Arthur, lost in the beautiful, lush gardens and verdant, grassy plains of his thoughts to notice it. It seemed only five minutes had gone by when, finally, his waiting came to an end. That flawless tanned skinned body sat opposite from him, those two sapphires avoiding making eye contact in a rather cute way, pretending not to be interesting at all in Arthur. The latter found it hilarious but also endearing.

Along with his joy, his anxiety had returned tenfold. This was the fateful moment. There was no going back anymore and Arthur knew this. However, he'd lie if he said he didn't feel the slightest thrill of excitement at the prospect of what was going to happen. He couldn't wait anymore. He had been waiting for the whole day, for the whole season, to take his chance and talk to that Adonis. And thus, Arthur got up and approached the bench on the other side of the gravel path.

As he came closer, the younger male noticed the movement, certainly from the crunching of the pebbles. His eyes met Arthur's, wide and confused, but not fearful. There was apprehension on his face but also expectancy. He could hear the sitting man's breath coming out quick and shallow, the nervousness clear in his attitude. He looked like a frightened animal, ready to escape should things go wrong, Arthur thought. And immediately, he wanted to protect the younger man, to make him feel safe, to feel him relax in the safety of his arms.

However, when he reached the bench, Arthur didn't know what to do. All his confidence had evaporated during the short trip across this sea of gravel. He was the one who wanted to run now, and this was so frustrating, he had been ready for the whole day, yet he found himself completely unable to utter one single word. His mouth opened and closed, like a suffocating fish, but the words were stuck in the middle of his throat. Bits of sentences and random words scrambled in his head, creating an impenetrable fog. The chaos that reigned in his mind physically hurt, he felt like his head was swelling and would soon explode.

Not knowing what else to do, and highly unwilling to make a fool of himself even more than he already was, Arthur chose the only solution any sane man would choose. He gave Alfred a piece of paper with his name and phone number and ran away as fast as he could.

However, his lucky star wasn't shining bright that afternoon, because before he could get out of the park and hide in the crowd, a voice called his name. slightly breathless and undeniably hopeful. In his back, he could hear the sound of running and soon after, a hand took hold of his arm in a surprisingly gentle way.

"Wait, don't go Arthur." He panted, even though Arthur had already stopped walking away and given up on escaping. Then, the young man's expression changed, as though he had just remembered something very important. "Oh, name's Alfred by the way!" he almost screamed the words in the most enthusiastic tone Arthur had ever heard, making him roll his eyes with a tiny smile on his lips. And the man, Alfred laughed, making Arthur's heart melt.

Since he was so close to the embodiment of perfection, Arthur decided to take the chance to look at him from this close. His gaze travelled up Alfred's face and what he saw took his breath away. Cornflowers eyes were looking right back at him, waiting for him to say something. Alas, Arthur was at a loss for words.

In any normal circumstances, he would have had some snarky comment easily rolling out of his mouth, but not now. Instead, he only looked at Alfred like an idiot. But he didn't need to say anything, for those full lips, soft and pink like peonies' petals parted to let out a syrupy voice. Thick and sugary. Deep and sweet. Addictive. It trapped him in its stream of liquid words, flowing at a leisurely pace. And Arthur stood there, getting tangled in satin sentences. He was so spellbound, he wasn't even trying to understand what the American was saying. The words just agglomerated in a delightful river of syllables, drowning him in their thick waters. There was no way out and he wasn't looking for an exit. He let himself get caught, and he loved it with his whole being.

But then, the idiot had to laugh too loud and speak, again in that boisterous voice. The charm was broken. Arthur came out of his trance, completely lost. He looked at Alfred blankly for a second, earning a loud, mocking comment from the American. Obviously, this angered him, but he had to give a good impression, this was his first time speaking to Alfred and despite his noisy personality, he seemed to be a nice person to be around. The last thing Arthur wanted was to scare him away. He knew he could have a short temper. Obviously, he knew. It had caused him enough problems already. This time he would do everything he could to stay civil and show Alfred the sunnier side of his personality.

Thus, Arthur bit the inside of his cheek to keep some acidic comment or angry yelling to leave his mouth. He felt the metallic taste of blood on his tongue and tried to breathe deeply to soothe his irritated nerves and keep the annoyance from showing on his face, especially when Alfred gave him a friendly but too strong tap on the shoulder, accompanied with his booming laugh.

"You don't have to always be so loud. I'm not hard of hearing yet, you American idiot." Despite all his goodwill, he couldn't prevent himself from mumbling these exasperated words, which Alfred, obviously, because Arthur's lucky star was never shining when he needed it, had to hear.

Alfred looked at him with a sheepish smile, one that Arthur couldn't resist, it seemed, since he calmed down instantly. Alfred had such power on him, this was worrisome.

After this minor incident, they went back into the park and spoke until the sun went down. Arthur found Alfred's personality as adorable as his looks, even though he would never admit that to the young man. He already had an ego as wide as the United-States, there was no need to add more confidence to this. Judging by the bright smile on the honey blonde's face, he had an enjoyable time with Arthur as well.

Sadly, all good things come to an end and the time to say goodbye came all too soon.

"Meet me here tomorrow, after your classes. Same place as always, I'll be waiting for you, love." Arthur said sweetly, causing a blush to spread on Alfred's cheeks, as they parted at the gates. He contemplated kissing those red, round cheeks but decided otherwise. This was enough for a first encounter.

* * *

It was the last day of spring, his first date with Arthur, Alfred thought, as he sat on his usual bench, looking out for the green-eyed man. He had been disappointed upon finding out the other hadn't already been there when he arrived. This was highly unusual and Alfred was slightly worried. Illogically so, but still worried. It was a lingering feeling, not something he could describe with words but it somehow weighed heavy on his chest. He had a presentiment that something bad would happen and he couldn't shake it off. He would only be relieved when he would see the familiar slender silhouette pass the elegant gates of the park. His eyebrows were furrowed and he couldn't focus on anything. The natural beauty of the gardens didn't appeal to him as much as they used to. Something was missing. The picture was incomplete and his heart didn't find the will to draw anything, everything was soulless. Maybe life was bursting out of every corner, but the world still felt death. Like winter had come back.

After several hours had passed and the afternoon was slowly ending, Alfred's anxiety increased to reach a peak. It became overwhelming. His breath quickened to the point of hyperventilation. His head was spinning, even though he was sitting, he almost fell to the ground. The sight of the empty bench in front of him made him sick. He wanted to throw up, the bitter taste of bile assaulted his taste buds, making him wince.

Arthur hadn't come. Why? Had the previous day been a dream? Or worst, had Arthur been playing some sort of cruel joke? Alfred refused to believe such a thing. He tried calling Arthur several times, but to no avail. Eventually, he left a message on the voicemail. He was furious, desperate, incredibly worried. All those conflicted emotions made his stomach twist, his heart clench and fall, his lungs constrict. Nothing would ever be alright again if Arthur didn't show up, as illogical as the thought might seem. He didn't even know Arthur very well, he had only talked to him once. And observed him a whole month. He felt like his all world revolved around the Brit. And right now, his world was ripped to shreds.

Hot tears slid down his rosy cheeks, his nose was running. He was a mess. He couldn't even breathe right between his sobs and his constricted throat. There was a prickling in his fingertips. The rest of his body felt completely numb, his head was filled with cotton. He felt both incredibly light and extremely heavy. At some point, he stopped feeling. Physically as well as emotionally. His brain had broken down.

All he could see was blurry shapes and faded colours. Despite the lukewarm temperature of the air that enveloped him that evening, Alfred felt incredibly cold. He was shivering, goose bumps on his exposed arms, teeth chattering. a cold, hollow body, that no heat could warm. The fire of life inside him had died. The flame had been blown out by those green eyes which didn't come.

The park was magnificent this night, lit by the wan light of the full moon. It gave everything an opaline glow, so pure, so still. It seemed stuck in time, nothing moved, no sound heard. The melancholic beauty of eternity. And Alfred was a mere mortal in the empyrean. A weeping human among the indifferent flowers. Peacefulness surrounded him, yet all he felt was turmoil. He hated the calm of the park, this perfect, cloudless night sky. Those millions of brightly shining stars, laughing at him from the distance. He wished it could rain, a storm to rage and uproot those sturdy trees and fragile plants. He wanted this harmonious scenery to be completely destroyed. Burnt to the ground. Drowned under an endless sea of salty droplets running from his eyes.

He wanted the world to end tonight.

But the earth kept turning, people still breathed and slept and laughed and cried. And he was alone, lost in a garden stuck in time. In a time where he was happy, faced with the most vibrant emeralds, pure ivory and gold threads.

His limbs felt heavy, too heavy to move. But he couldn't stay on this bench all night, as appealing as the idea was to him. So, he picked himself up, stumbling along the gravel path he had taken so many times. He subconsciously decided to come back to the park the next day, and the ones following, until he saw Arthur again. He was too lost in his torpor to take any conscious decision but his heart knew what it wanted. What it needed.

* * *

Over the next weeks, Alfred kept true to his promise to himself. He never failed to go to the park. But there was no sign of Arthur. Like the man had been some sort of spring fairy who vanished with the spring. The thought made him smile sweetly. Arthur had told him that he loved everything related to mythology.

It became clear that Arthur wasn't coming back any time soon. No one deigned telling him what happened to the holder of his heart. After some time, he stopped going every day to what he once considered a piece of heaven to him. it no longer brought him peace. Yet every spring, even years after, he still went to the same bench he had back then, admiring the beautiful nature and reminiscing. Sometimes, when he was sure no one was around, he even talked to the absent man, imagining his elegant silhouette, sitting on the opposite bench, legs crossed and reading a thick book.

It became his spring ritual. From the 21st of March until the 21st of June, he wouldn't miss one single day. This bench became his memorial to his memories of Arthur, to the bourgeoning romance that was never given the chance to bloom.

Over the years, the pain subsided, leaving only a nasty scar and a lingering ache. He never really moved on though. He kept himself chained to that bench. Life went on but he was stuck in time, stuck in that spring long ago when he encountered love and happiness. There was no moving on after being touched by an angel's hand, after having his heart stolen by a divine creature.

He belonged in this place, to the spring, and this where he shall stay for as long as life allowed him. Deep in his heart, he knew he would never lose hope of seeing Arthur passing those high wrought iron gates, defying the two roaring lions who guarded the entrance of this garden of Eden. He would always hope to have the chance to get lost, once again, in that deep forest of emerald green, and he would wait for it until his last breath.

 **AN: Hi! I hope you enjoyed this story :)**

 **This was written for the usukustwiceperyear event on tumblr. Please check it out, lots of amazing writers and artists put their work in it!**


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